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Rumours of Apple’s TV service gains momentum

Apple is reportedly in talks with programmers including CBS, 21st Century Fox and Walt Disney to launch a subscription-based streaming TV service this year.

An article published on The Wall Street Journal claims the service will have approximately 25 channels, cost $30-40 per month and be available on iPads, iPhones and any Apple TV.

Rumour has it the service will be debuted at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June in preparation for a September launch in the United States followed by other countries.

The TV service will reportedly include popular networks such as ABC, CBS, ESPN and FX but will not include smaller channels.

Due to a falling out between Apple and NBC’s parent company Comcast, NBCUniversal will reportedly be left out of the partnership.

Apple and NBC were allegedly in negotiations last year, but Apple came to the conclusion Comcast was too focused on its own X1 set-top box for web-based streaming.

Rumours about Apples online TV service have been around since as early as 2009, when it was first reported that CBS and Walt Disney were considering participating in a web-based service.

At the beginning of 2012, reports surfaced that Apple was moving ahead with its TV service in time for a potential launch for Christmas. The Wall Street Journal provided further details about the service later in the year but no formal announcements were made.

Last month the rumours took on new momentum when Re/code reported Apple was in talks with television programmers over deals that would see the company offer a web-based TV service.

The service would be streamed over the internet across iOS devices and provide a number of channels from participating content providers, reports said.

The recent announcement of HBO Now, HBO’s new standalone streaming service exclusively for Apple TV and other Apple devices, supports the rumours that Apple is interested in streaming TV content.